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I couldn’t begin to count how many people have said to me something to the effect of, “If I could just stop snacking I could lose the weight!”

You are not alone. If you’re at home with kids all day what do they constantly say? “I’m hungry, can I have a snack?”

The problem when we ultimately decide we are going to go on a diet, or make a lifestyle change, or start putting effort towards weight loss is how we go from our current set of patterns and habits to this new lifestyle we’re aiming to achieve.

I have given this advice to clients before, and I will continue to give it as I believe it is realistic, and more likely to set someone up for long term success, so pay attention:

❗️You will not go from a late night pantry snack grabbing person to an organic food prepping vegan just because you’ve decided to lose weight.

❗️Just as we take baby steps in everything else we learn in life – so will you too have to take baby steps when changing years of eating habits. A child learning to read does not instantly grab a novel in hopes of figuring it out. He/she must learn letters, then sounds, then sight words, then small books, and finally alas! Success. This too is how we should approach changing our dietary habits.

Here’s what I want you to do if you’re really ready to change your diet.

Step 1: Journal your food and beverage intake for 1 week. Just 7 days. No adjusting how you eat because you’re suddenly writing it down. This is just for your eyes only and if you feel you need to cheat the journal then that’s more evidence to yourself that dietary changes should be made. You don’t need to weigh everything, just write down what was included, if you had a second helping, sauces included, etc.

Step 2: Evaluate your journal. Does anything pop out to you as problem areas? For example — After a certain hour at night do you get hungry and grab a pantry snack and zone out not realizing how many handfuls of Cheezits you’ve had? Are you not eating enough breakfast that results in extra morning snacks? Are you drinking more sodas than you realized?

Step 3: What specifically in your food and beverage intake do you want to eliminate, or just decrease? Figure out those items and think about what they can be replaced with. If you have a major craving for something, like macaroni and cheese or bread, and you know realistically you’d never be able to go cold turkey eliminating it – then don’t! Look at how much you’ve had, then the next time you eat it, decrease the amount by 25-50%.

Step 4: After you’ve journaled your food and beverage intake, you’ve highlighted problem areas that pop out to you, and you’ve gone through to decide what items you want to decrease the amount you intake, and what items you want to eliminate altogether, now setup your Food Plan.

Your Food Plan is going to help you over the next 2-4 months. I’m not talking about writing up everything you’re going to eat. That is truly a pain in the rear and takes the fun out of meal time. Your Food Plan is a general, realistic diet guideline that will train your body to crave the “bad things” less without going completely cold turkey that could potentially end in you binge eating on the couch and getting totally ticked off with yourself.

Your Food Plan will include guidelines (these are unique to each individual, these are just examples) such as:

— I will decrease my bread intake from two meals a day to one.

— I will engage in Sober Sunday and not have excess alcohol calories on Sundays.

— I will buy precut veggies to have as healthy grab snacks when I’m feeling too tired to make food during times I’m prone to over snack on pantry items.

By decreasing the amount you eat of “problem items” by 25-50% (Ex: instead of a whole plate of pasta, you eat half a plate)and eating that way for 2-4 months it is training your body and your mind to 1) not crave the item as much and 2) still allow you the food you enjoy and not depraving yourself. If it is an item you feel you want to eliminate eating altogether, taking this step by step will help you get there.

Ask yourself this question, and answer honestly based on your past diet and lifestyle history:

Am I more likely to succeed at changing my dietary habits for the long haul if I do a complete revamp of my weekly meals and snacks, or if I allow myself to gradually decrease and change my patterns?

In order to succeed at changing our dietary habits we must be realistic, but also dedicated. We must forgive ourselves when we occasionally indulge, as we have one life to live and food should not be a major stressor, but also hold ourselves accountable to our goals.

Baby steps… As you eliminate or decrease items overtime you will see positive changes in your body, your attitude towards food, and it will be way less stressful than a complete instant diet overhaul you’re likely to give up on.

Good luck to each of you! May your food be delicious and nutritious!

-Jen

There are people who will try to make you feel motivated during a difficult time, but end up unintentionally making you feel bad — I am not one of those people (I hope).

Right now, COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the world’s daily schedule, lifestyle and habits. We are all dealing with it in one form or another – some aspects positive, some beyond stressful.

If you’re trying to incorporate exercise into this period of time, and the same old adage, “Make time for yourself” isn’t cutting it because you want to holler, “If I could, I would!” right back, then here’s some ideas that may help:

For those at home with kids but no work commitments:

• If your day is strapped with school work, house chores, fetching food, and then on top of it, you feel the need to come up with additional activities/crafts/learning experiences – take a breath and evaluate all that you are doing. Do the dishes need to be done multiple times a day, or can it wait until the end of the day? Choose what makes most sense to you time-wise. Do you need so many additional “learning activities” or are they stealing time without receiving adequate praise and gained knowledge from the kids after? Could you decrease the number of activities?
• I’m not telling you to stop doing dishes or teaching your kids – I’m telling you to look at your daily list and if you had to cut things out of it, are there instantly ones that you could live without that would give you some spare time for yourself?
• My kids don’t have their own devices, but they can use mine for Disney+ and ABCMouse. There is enough educational content on those that if I want to go workout for 30-60 minutes and let them be glued to a device, I’m not going to feel guilty about it. And let’s be real — we may feel bad when we don’t spend 24/7 with the kids, letting that parental guilt seep in, but I am 99% positive they do not think, “I probably should hang out with my Mom instead of watching Wild Krafts”. If your kid says that – awesome, hug him/her and send thanks to Jesus. But for the rest of us, let them watch that show so they can have THEIR alone time, you can have YOUR alone time, and you can regroup later to erase any unnecessary guilt you built up.
• I say this often — expect interruptions, expect to be annoyed because someone suddenly wants juice or to paint the cat a picture. Maybe you’ll get a quiet workout, maybe you’ll stop five times, but eventually it’ll get learned that your exercise time is important, on the schedule, and the kids gotta deal with it. I’ve done this for 8 years – I know what I’m talking about.

For those at home with full or part-time work commitments:

• This is hard, so props to you working parents trying to juggle everything. Before I proceed I want to say this — IT IS OK IF YOU HAVE YELLED THIS WEEK. If you think for a second you’re the world’s worst parent because you got overwhelmed and yelled at your kid, don’t. One house over, another parent is yelling. Forgive yourself, and try better next time. It happens.
• Having a schedule, even if it’s a rough one or constantly gets messed up, to start off your day or week in some sort of order will help you make it to the finish line each day.
• If you are full time, consider using your lunch break for exercise, even if it’s just 20 minutes, I assure you, you can get a butt-kicking, all bodyweight workout in.
• If you think, “No way would I wake up early for exercise” try it for just one week. Just Monday-Friday for one week and if you still hate it, then scrap the idea and try evenings.
• It’s key to have a workout plan picked out beforehand. If you have 20 minutes only to exercise but you have nothing picked out, that workout either likely won’t happen, or won’t be as effective as you hoped for, and then you’re going to be frustrated.
• If planning a workout is just one more task to add, then don’t create it yourself. There are several free or discounted fitness programs online right now – choose one of those workouts and go. Or of course there’s me – I can create personalized workouts for you! I have a few options.
• Exercise helps your brain focus, believe it or not. With studies of kids after PE or recess, kids tend to focus more on their schoolwork because of the positive chemical effect it has on their brain’s ability to focus. Exercise may be the mental break you need before going back to your desk for more work grind.
• Right now employers and clients should expect to hear kid noise in the background of conference calls or meetings. It’s just the state of the world, and everyone should understand and respect that. You will likely not be able to perform your job at 100%. You will not be able to parent at 100%. Don’t allow others, or your own inner goal-oriented demon, make you think you have to.

For those teleworking, but no children or other needy dependents in the house:

• Pick your time slot. It may even change daily depending on your workload, but pick one. Morning, lunch break, right after work, before bedtime – whatever floats your boat, and stick with it.
• If you are alone and the loneliness of social isolation is bringing you down, de-motivating you, consider joining an online group training either via Zoom or Facebook Live. It may not be as exhilarating as an in-person group fitness class, but it’s something!

For those still going into an actual place of work and then coming home tired:

• You’re tired. You’re stressed. You got other crap to handle when you walk in the door. I get it. It’s OK!
• What can hold off until tomorrow? Chances of you getting in a workout daily is pretty slim, not impossible, but challenging. Can you forgo some stuff on Monday, handle it on Tuesday, so you can get in a quick 20-45 minute workout after work? And then do this again another day of the week?
• Even if there’s only one day during the week, and one weekend day that work for you, it’s still physical activity. Is it most ideal? No, but it’s better than zero days, and with time you will likely figure out how to squeeze in another day.

“Something is better than nothing” and that is absolutely true. Maybe you won’t see impressive physical gains, or even change the size of your pants, but physical activity can create unseen mental and emotional gains that during a stressful time can make a huge difference.

If coming up with your own workout is stressful to even think about – let the professionals do it for you. Pick an online program, and just follow their lead. Less thinking and stressing and more sweating!

No equipment? Don’t underestimate the power of bodyweight exercises. There are hundreds for all skill and fitness levels at your fingertips via Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram. I’m currently running a Facebook Live workout group with 15 different workouts, all bodyweight! It. Can. Be. Done.

Don’t expect a fabulous workout. Maybe you’ll get it. Maybe you’ll be interrupted. Maybe it’ll become your favorite part of your day. Maybe it’ll be tiring at first, but give you the endorphins you need.

If you have any questions or concerns and want additional advice or help, give me a shout.

Jen@couragetosweat.com —- @couragetosweat — http://www.couragetosweat.com

Our bodies like a set point, whether we like that weight/shape or not. It’s why even though we may fluctuate a little here and there, most of us manage to wear the same size clothes for years. Our bodies say, “I like this weight. I’m comfortable here. I’ll adjust your metabolism and hormones accordingly.”

Here’s a more detailed article on that point: https://www.thecut.com/2016/05/weight-loss-metabolism-slows-down-hunger-increases.html

When you have a significant amount of weight to lose, or you have real diet changes to make, or exercise/physical activity is not part of your regular life, then weight loss can come easily as it’s a shock to your body, and your body responds quickly. I say “easily” but I’m talking how your body reacts, not you. You may have a hard time mentally and emotionally dealing with all the difficult changes – and that does not come easily.

But what if you’re already in good physical shape and eat a healthy diet? If you’ve previously lost weight, then your body has adjusted its metabolism to not have to work as hard, as it’s not carrying around an extra load, so you actually may have to eat less and exercise more to see continued results. Your body is smaller and thus doesn’t need as much fuel to maintain its current weight. Yes, you have likely made your body more effective and efficient with burning calories as you’ve become healthier, however discovering that calorie-to-exercise ratio for your body may take some trial and error as you discover what works best for your body.

Imagine doing bodyweight squats while weighing 185 lbs. Then lose 20 lbs, now weighing 165 lbs, you continue to do the same number of bodyweight squats. Which scenario is more difficult? Which requires the body to work harder?

Think of your body/shape/weight in its form right now. Is it harder for you to do a bodyweight squat, or a squat with a 20 pound barbell?

As your body adjusts to the weight and exercise, your exercise routine must also adjust to see continued results.

If you run 3 miles three times a week, every week, do you think it’s just as hard the first time you did it as it is now? No! Sure it’s still a good workout that helps maintain your current health status, but the key word here is “maintain”.

The first time you drank alcohol, did one beer or one glass of wine make you feel a little tipsy? How about years later, are you still a lightweight, or has you body adjusted to handling two or three beers or glasses of wine? Maybe more?

As your body adjusts to the intake of calories, or to the stress of physical activity, YOU must continue to adjust or it will fight you to maintain its current status.

Here’s a checklist to help you understand if anything is holding you back:

– Have you made any adjustments to your exercise routine in the past few months to make cardio either longer/harder, weight training heavier/harder?

– Have you made any adjustments to your caloric intake recently? Even if you feel you should maintain the same caloric intake, does the quality of those calories need to change? Such as less sugar that if not used as fuel will be stored as fat. Is there extra sodium that could be taken out? Some processed carbs that could be substituted out with natural ones?

– If you don’t feel you are ready to adjust the intensity of your cardio or weight training, can you add extra activity? Even something as less strenuous as a 30 minute daily walk on top of your regular routine can start making an impact on your weight loss journey.

– If you cannot carve more time out of your day for exercise than you already do, can you run/spin faster? Can you incorporate more sprints that cause a positive stress on your body to be on high alert, thus it will react by burning more calories?

– Are you drinking enough water? Around 2 liters should be your daily goal to prevent dehydration and to ensure you flush out your system adequately.

Good luck. Stay positive. Remember to love yourself throughout the whole journey. If you need help with exercise ideas, check out my Independent Package options for self-accountability workouts.

For some folks the idea of integrating exercise into your life can be daunting. With all the gym commercials, fitness influencers on social media, and sexy underwear advertisements it can indeed feel like having a fitness lifestyle is too much to handle. A lot of work. Unattainable.

Let me clear up some of the unnecessary messages that are out there, and give you a great starter workout!

First of all – to live a lifestyle that successfully includes exercise does not mean you have to have six pack abs, Carrie Underwood legs, or a sculpted rear end. You can indeed be on a healthy track, and be “in shape” with some cellulite and a small muffin top.

Yes I am sure we would all love to look utterly fantastic, but unless we put in some extraordinary amount of diet and physical effort, and for some of us, figure out how to change our genetics, it’s not reasonable. It’s not attainable. But what is attainable is a healthy resting heart rate, a strong core to support our low back, and cardiovascular skills to keep us playing with our kids. That is what an exercise lifestyle is really about – not about looking hot and sweaty in a sports bra. Eventually you may indeed look in the mirror post workout and look and feel amazingly attractive, but you don’t need the six pack abs to feel that way. Whatever healthier, happier version of yourself comes out of incorporating exercise into your life IS GOOD ENOUGH!

For my beginners, or my getting-back-into-it’ers, I have an at-home, zero equipment (okay, one chair is needed, but I know you have one) workout for you. It does not take too much time, and you can even do it on the go as you travel. If you read this, and do this, please let me know how you felt about it! I appreciate feedback.

Note: If you have any health concerns, or chronic physical injuries, please confirm with a medical professional before attempting these exercises. If you need to seek an alternative exercise for one of these, ask me and I can help you. If this is too easy for you – GREAT! If it is too difficult, play around with the number of repetitions or amount of time. Decrease if you have to, and add weights when appropriate, if available.

Ever bought something online at the mercy of hoping some group of strangers reviews were truthful? I find myself looking for key details, a substantial amount of positive opinions, and for clothes I definitely need picture proof before I’ll pull the purchase trigger.

The holiday gift buying season is upon us, whether you’re ready for it or not, and for anyone looking for ideas for that fitness guru/exercise buddy/fit mom in your life, I’m giving some reviews and ideas from items I have fallen in love with – not just like, love! I like finding useful little things that make big impact on my daily life, without costing a bunch of money. All of these items cost $35 or less! So here you go:

Duduma Polarized Sports Sunglasses

If you dislike squinting while running, and hate when sunglasses slip down your nose or rub the top of your ears raw, then I have some great (inexpensive – yay!) sunglasses to recommend.

These things are only $20, and they have lasted me in high heat and humidity, through marathons, and they stay in place! No you’re likely not going to pair them with a cute dress, they are for outdoor exercise activity as they definitely look sporty. They look very gender neutral too, so even my husband has borrowed them for runs and playing softball.

Aurorae Yoga – The Ultimate Racer Back Tank Top

Let me be clear – this tank top is pictured as being worn alone and giving full coverage. That’s not true unless your chest hangs quite low. But! I don’t like the feeling of loose tank tops when I’m working up a big sweat. Nor do I like to constantly have to pull it back into place. This tank is fitted, soaks up the sweat, and I wear it underneath another tank/tee/sweatshirt. I currently own three! They are limited on stock right now, so hurry if you want one. They are true to size, and the material is stretchy and comfortable. They are long in length, so if you have a problem with shirts being too short for your long torso, I highly recommend adding this to your exercise wardrobe.

Dasuta Sport Athletic Headbands

As I’m writing this I’m starting to see a trend – I love things that stay in place as constantly having to reposition my shades, shirts, pants, headbands would drive me crazy. So these headbands! If you follow me on Instagram (@couragetosweat) you have likely seen me in these. I wear them any time I exercise outside. They absorb sweat so it doesn’t trickle down my forehead. They cover up my crazy hair and flyaways. They come in several colors to make an outfit more fun, or to even help you be seen if you’re out running at dusk or dawn. Andddd they stay in place! They’re also stretchy without hurting your head like the small tights ones often do. They also hold up very well going through the washer and dryer.

ANBES Wireless Earbuds

I have not tested out the battery length for these to hold up during a full marathon, however they have worked for multiple hour workouts without recharging, so for 5Ks, 10Ks, or lifting, they will do the job! There are SO many options for wireless earbuds at all different price points. Searching for them can honestly be a headache. I previously tried two other brands that didn’t work. I also refuse to pay the price Apple is asking. One brand wouldn’t stay in my ears, and the other had a crappy battery life, but these stay in my ears and last – yay! They have a loop that goes around the outer ear that is not uncomfortable, it simply helps me feel that they’re truly secure so as I’m moving from exercise to exercise they stay in position. You can run, do burpees and pushups in these with no problem. They simply sync with the bluetooth on your phone, and off you go!

Contraband Pink Label 5137 Womens Padded Weight Lifting Gloves

These come in a few different colors, so pick your style. They help me when my hands are sweaty so the bar doesn’t slip from my hands. They also help me avoid calluses so I don’t get “man hands” from lifting. They also give me a better grip on the pull-up bar, since I can’t quite 100% rely solely on my strength yet to stay up there. They don’t feel hot, and I can easily transition from weights to bodyweight exercises without bothering to take them on and off.

WOD Nation Pull-Up Assistance Bands

Let’s be real here – pull-ups are not easy! They take a lot of strength and practice. They require good form or you’re bound to hurt in a number of areas. If you don’t have access to a pull-up bar that has the knee bench to assist you, or you simply don’t like that, these bands are perfect! There are different sizes and colors depending on your weight and how many pull-ups you can currently do. You simply wrap the band around the top of the pull-up bar (please carefully read the instructions online or watch a video before attempting this!) and then stick a foot into the part of the band that is hanging down, and voila! You’re on your way to gaining pull-up strength. These bands are tight and sturdy, so if the bar is quite high, do not bust your butt or pull a muscle trying to stick your leg into this thing from standing on the ground. Grab an exercise box, bench, or even a chair to help you safely get into this. These are easily portable, so if you plan to exercise at a park with equipment, you can bring it along in your bag.

CRZ Yoga Racerback Tank

Full confession – I may have a tank top problem. I own many. Like many, many… They’re my go-to tops. There’s going out tanks, bedtime tanks, exercising tanks, wear under a sweater tanks, and so on. I don’t love them all, and I’m definitely not brand loyal which is likely why I’ve tried so many, but this one I recently found and I fell in love. I should buy more – no, no stop Jen… It’s a sturdy material, absorbs sweat, does not require another tank underneath, is a great length, and truthfully I feel attractive in it. I like a good workout tank that not only stays in place while exercising, but makes me look good so I feel confident. It is fitted but thick so it’s more forgiving.

And there you have it! If you have any favorite fitness-related items you recommend, send them my way! Happy shopping!

Some of the major barriers to an effective, motivated workout is time, location, and an exercise plan. If you don’t have enough understanding of why to workout what muscles, or when, or even how, then fitness classes with an educated instructor is a good alternative. However, if classes don’t align with your life schedule, and you can’t seem to get to the gym, then an at-home workout may be the solution to getting your fitness on track.

Yes, there are many exercise programs out there you can do from home. Some require you to purchase equipment, or signup for a subscription, which is all fine if you’re dedicated to your fitness journey. But! If you’re trying to start your fitness journey slowly, to tackle the basics, or you already have an effective workout plan but need extra help on the days you cannot get out of the house, this guide is for YOU!

Buckle up, here we go! Here is a list of exercises you can do in your house, without purchasing any equipment:

• Pushups
• Situps (I recommend putting your toes under a couch to ensure you use your core, instead of straining your low back and hip flexors)
• Squats (Regular, Sumo, Crisscross Jumping, Pulsing – there are a lot of options here)
• Lunges (Forward, Reverse, Pulsing)
• Curtsy Lunges (Your form MUST be on point or you could tweak your knee. If you have a history of knee problems, I do not recommend these)
• Planks (Forward, Static Hold Left and Right Side, or Side Pulsing) – You may do this with your palms down, or for a greater core challenge, go on your elbows and forearms
• Tricep Dips (You can use a chair that is pushed against a wall so it doesn’t move away from you, or remove the cushions from the couch and use the firm part – ensure elbows are pointed back)
• Burpees (these are advanced, and if you have any issues with your knees or low back, I do not recommend)
• Jumping Jacks
• Arm Circles
• Mountain Climbers
• Dead Bug Core Exercise
• Static Wall Sit (Either pick a goal time to hold it, or see how long you can hold it and try to beat it the next time) – Get that butt down! Parallel with your knees.
• YTW Shoulder Exercise (you can do this on the floor)
• Planks with side-to-side toe taps and/or alternating heel raises
• V-Sit (Arms and Legs straight – hold it for time)
• Dragon Walk (this will require space and coordination)
• Glute Bridge (on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor, and raise your hips/butt up) – You can increase this challenge by adding a weight to your pelvic area or switching to a single leg raise
• Russian Twists (If you cannot raise your feet, start with your feet on the ground and work your way up over time as your core strength improves)
• Standing Calf Raises

I just listed 20 exercises that don’t require equipment! TWENTY! All that can be performed in your living room, on your own time, and can still kick your butt!

Now that you know what exercises can be done, how many do you do? How often? For how much time, or number of reps? Some of that depends on your current fitness level, but here are couple variations to try and see what works best for you:

Option 1: All About Time

If you prefer to watch the clock instead of counting repetitions, a pre-set time may be easiest for you (your phone has a timer!) 30 seconds or 60 seconds are good starting points (plus or minus 15 seconds if you are weaker or stronger in some areas).

Choose exercises from the list above (the number is dependent on your fitness level, and can be tweaked depending on how you feel afterwards). Try one for your pre-set time, then move to the next. Alternating muscle groups (ex: core exercise, followed by shoulder exercise, followed by leg exercise) is more likely to enable you to go for more rounds. Go through them, see how you did/how you feel, and decide if you want to go again.

Option 2: All About The Burn

If you prefer to hit a muscle group hard for a quick workout and quick burn, this is a good option. Choose your exercises, group them (core, legs/butt, arms/back), decide if you’re going for time (30-60 seconds) or for reps (10-15, give or take) and then begin with one muscle group, perform those exercises, then move onto the next. Finish, rest (if needed), and then begin again (if able).

How often? That depends on your activity level. If this is the only workout you are doing, I recommend doing this every other day. But! See how you feel. If you’re at the beginning of your fitness journey and you are sore – not just a regular sore, but painful sore – allow your muscles to rest longer. Stretch and hydrate!!!

How to keep yourself on track when home life can be so distracting (laundry, kids, cleaning, sports and shows on TV, that enticing comfy couch, Facebook):

• Put a specific workout time on your planner/calendar, so it has a set time in your day, not just a “when I get some down time”.
• You can choose to integrate some of these slowly during a movie or show. Choose to not fast forward through the commercials, and do these exercises during that time.
• Elect to require yourself to do the workout before you are able to do something else, such as doing them in the morning before you have coffee, or in the evening before you’re allowed to have a glass of wine.
• Invite your spouse, neighbor, teenager to do these with you if you need an extra boost in motivation or accountability.

Stay optimistic, and realistic! You will not do an at-home workout and suddenly be a fitness star. But you will slowly start to see changes in your muscle tone, your motivation level, and your understanding of different exercises. This will (hopefully) lead to a desire to want to try and learn more – such as integrating weights, or trying new equipment at a gym. Just like when you were learning to read as a kid, you have to first build a basic foundation of understanding, until one day you’re just rocking it!

Good luck! Ask me questions if you need help. Reach out if you’re interested in any of my training packages too.

We each have our different styles and preferences when it comes to strengthening our muscles, but here’s some important information to keep in mind as you train:

– If you don’t/can’t maintain proper form through the entire motion of each exercise, you WILL injure yourself. You WILL create a negative impression towards lifting. Ask for help from a professional if needed, or decrease the weight as you practice to get the form correctly.

– Do not lift everyday. If you are able to, then you didn’t use enough weight or do enough reps/sets the day before. Two or three times a week is enough. The other days can be left for cardio, Yoga, Pilates, body weight exercises or stretching for recovery. Your muscles NEED to rest or they will break down and not strengthen.

– If your heart rate needs it, or it’s just your exercise style, you may completely rest between sets (30-90 seconds) or move onto strengthening a different muscle while the first muscle rests, and then come back to it for another set/round.

– If you have absolutely no idea where to begin, or what exercises to do, ask a professional, or do your own research. Research is a bit more time-consuming, though cheaper. It won’t critique your form, but with basic, simple exercises you can start to build up a bank of exercises and increase from there.

It’s Monday again, and my advice to you this week is one of the more recent sayings of my generation – “You do you, boo.”

We can become overwhelmed trying to figure out how we are going to do everything, and if we are doing said things the correct way, that we sometimes get even more behind! So here’s my take on some of the popular life advice out there and how I think it can fit better into your life:

We frequently hear things we are supposed to be doing, such as — Eat healthy. Meditate. Pray more. Find “Me Time”. Exercise. Ensure our children get 60+ minutes of active play. Make goal lists. Keep our house clean. Become minimalists. Embrace nature. Travel. Read to our kids. Always be striving towards a new challenge.

Look, LIFE is a challenge enough without my now to-do list on how to tackle it correctly!

So let me break it down:

1) Eat Healthy. Don’t get caught up in the latest diet trend trying to figure out what is/is not the right one, or start shoveling anything that says organic into your mouth in an attempt to make yourself feel better. If you’ve been eating like crap, pick up an apple. Slice up some cucumbers. Add some non-greased-up food into your life and check it off the list.

2) Meditate. This doesn’t mean you have to sit down for 20 minutes and then be stressed 20 minutes later that you “wasted” 20 minutes. To one person 20-minutes of calmness might be exactly what they need, and to another it may be popping on headphones and dancing while you check “vacuum the house” off your list.

3) Pray more. I’m bad at this one, and I don’t have much advice to give other than if you believe in some higher being and praying to Him/Her makes you feel better, then yes, get on it. Maybe before you pick up that phone in the morning, or as you close your eyes at night. Seems simple and reasonable enough, doesn’t it? I’ll work on it.

4) Exercise. I think this can tackle “me time” at the same time can’t it? Music in the headphones, daydreaming that you’re an amazing karaoke star shocking everyone you know (Am I the only weirdo that does this?) or watching HGTV on the gym’s treadmill.

5) Ensure our kids get 60+ minutes of active play. Accept that some days this won’t happen. Accept that sometimes you’re running around to appointments. Or that it’s 105* outside and Mom is no mood to feel like a roasted pig. Forgive yourself – and then figure out how this can actually be achieved. Recess at school? Great! Kid goes to an after school sports activity? Perfect! Send him/her out in the yard while you get in your exercise? That works too!

6) Make goal lists. If you know what they are, do not get yourself into a frenzy about not being organized and fancy about your goals. If you know what they are, and whether you’re working to achieve them, and you’re happy with that, then carry on.

7) Keep our house clean. I like to clean on Mondays because the weekend can bring about anything, and if it’s spent at home there’s bound to be dirt and chaos somewhere. Remember you’re making memories in that house, not a catalog photoshoot. Yes, let it look the way you want, with the decor and comfort that makes it feel like your space, but every homeowner has sticky crap on their baseboard from some unknown substance somewhere, so nobody is perfect, and don’t you let anyone tell you otherwise!

8) Become minimalists. I agree that extra unused stuff has got to go, but I am not to be made to feel guilty when I find cute, yet realistically unnecessary fall decor. If you see the pumpkin, want the pumpkin, can afford the pumpkin, don’t let this self-righteous feeling of minimalism make you feel guilty about that pumpkin. Buy it, move on, go box up something at home and donate it. It’s all a give and take, right?

9) Embrace nature. Y’all I love being outside in the sunshine. A cool unexpected breeze is the best. But trekking through the woods not knowing when a snake or other unexpected creature may lurk is not my style, unless I’m with a group of people and one of them can become the victim instead of me. Find the nature that makes you actually enjoy it – me, I love the beach! I can sit there all day and night. But I can’t get there everyday, because I have things to do. Find your nature, and get there when you need to recharge.

10) Travel. Yes it is the best thing in the world to actually see and experience the world, but we all have different budgets and priorities.

11) Read to our kids. Sometimes time is not on our side and those little crazies just need to sleep. I get that parent guilt of not reading to them just before bed – I know it’s real, I feel it! Most nights mine get books, but I have to remind myself that they did read at school. They did get the whole rest of their day tailored to them, and if it’s way past their bedtime, or mom is just DONE, they need to sleep. So push the guilt aside. You’re not alone if you miss a night. If they got it elsewhere, I will say this again – Forgive. Yourself.

12) Always be striving towards a new challenge. If life is currently a challenge for you, don’t add another one. Don’t feel guilty because you’re not studying or training for something. Get what you have going on now in order, then consider adding something later. And if you don’t want to – that’s fine, go find that nature you’re supposed to be seeking, pack a veggie sub, meditate and do some yoga. You’ve got the time, right?

Nobody has the answers on how to do all of this correctly. You do you, boo.

• 

Monday is up there for one of my favorite days of the week. Yes, Monday. I’ve never quite understood the “Monday Blues” thing, but maybe if I was trapped in a job or environment I didn’t want to be in, then I’d get it.

Here we are on another Monday. Another fresh start. Another chance to grab this week by the you-know-whats and make him your you-know-who. (I’m trying not to use foul language here, please tell me you understood that sentence.)

So how does one combating the Monday Blues, start the week off on the right foot and keep the motivation going the rest of the week? Even if you partied too hard, or feel overwhelmed and exhausted – You. Can. Still. Do. This.

Step 1: Make A List (but you may have to rethink how you make that list)

Yes, I know a list is not a new revelation, but I want you to consider how you write that list. Often we put big ticket items on our to-do lists when its the little items that are actually clogging up our brain. We all have those pesky tasks that nag us but never seem important enough to handle. “One day I’ll get to it.” I agree, sometimes life is too busy to sweat the small stuff, but if you’re already sweating it, you’re not going to cool down until it’s handled. If every time you open that guest bedroom closet you groan in annoyance at the clutter, then clear the clutter. Put it on the list and handle it. If something is clogging up space in your mind, you’ll never make room for the big ticket items until it’s done.

Unless something is due by a specific date, make the list for the entire week. This way it allows you the freedom to pick and choose what items you handle each day and you can delight in your productivity as you watch the items be ticked off everyday, instead of mumbling about daily items being carried over to the next day’s tasks.

Step 2: Don’t start Monday off with crappy food choices.

If your health and well-being is a priority in your life, then starting Monday off with terrible food choices is not going to get your mental health started off right. Yes it is highly likely at some point during the week you’ll eat something maybe you could have replaced with a healthier option, but you’re more likely to feel okay with it, to forgive yourself for it, to not have a grumpy attitude about it, if its not on Monday. Grab a piece of fruit, or make an egg white omelette (I’m not against regular eggs, I just think egg whites are easier for omelette flipping) and get your Monday energy a healthy kickstart!

Step 3: Prepare yourself for that “Ah crap!” moment.

Without fail, something always happens that causes an, “Ah crap!” Like you forgot to wash your child’s stinky uniform socks before today’s game. You forgot something was due and you’re currently experiencing a slow technology episode, and you’re five seconds away from throwing an inanimate object across the room. An emergency arises and you “do not have time for this!” It is going to come. Accept it. Own it. Yell incoherent noises if you have to, but when the mayhem is over, it’s over. You cannot allow that one panicked time to completely mess up your positivity and accept defeat. None of that, “Ugh, I give up, maybe next week will be better.” If it’s Wednesday, this week isn’t over, so maybe in an hour life will be calmer again, if you allow it to be.

We all know that so much of life is determined by attitude. To get happy results, we must have a happy outlook. Make your lists. Eat that energizing food. Accept the mayhem when it happens, because it happens to all of us, and keep trucking along. Get that Motivated Monday started, and if Monday sucks, there’s always To-Do-It Tuesday. And if Tuesday sucks too, there’s always Winning Wednesday….

I threw away my scale today. Not because of some profound declaration of independence from the little accessory that can cause mind games with us all, but because it was broken. A couple weeks ago my bathroom flooded for an unclear reason and the scale was a casualty. The water is gone now, flowing through the pipes correctly, but the scale is done.

If I lived near a WalMart or Target (insert moment of silence for those of us who have to live without) I’d likely just run out and grab a new one, but I don’t, so I’ve had a little time to think about this seemingly dull moment in time.

Do I really want a new scale?

Think about it with me for a bit. What purpose does a scale serve you? For some who have serious weight issues, or even just borderline serious, weight issues, I can see the purpose. You may need to diligently keep track of what it says to keep you on the path to healthy success. But for many of us, it can really be a total buzz kill. A kill joy. A slap in the face. Why do I want that in my life? Can’t the fact that my pants do or do not fit serve the same purpose, but with a little more wiggle room?

How many times have you stepped on the scale with set numbers in your head? A number to not be over, and if you are over, you feel bummed. A number to be under, and if you’re under, you feel a sense of hope and success. But if you didn’t know your number at all, if you didn’t have a chance to step on that scale, and you simply had to base your happiness with your body and your appearance based on looking in the mirror, would you be happier more and sad less? You can’t look in the mirror and truly see a two pound difference. You can step on a scale and see you’re two pounds heavier than you want to be, and how you react to that is up to you, but you’re not going to see those two pounds when you look in the mirror.

It’s all a mental game, and if it’s not a positive one, maybe I don’t need to play it.

I gave birth to my children when I was 26 and 29. When I turned 30 I decided I was a little bit wiser. Because 30 is “so old” right? Maybe not wiser, but a bit more confident. I am confident, not arrogant. There is a difference, and I certainly have more room to grow, but I’m come a long way. You should join me on that path, it’s a pretty good one. I decided in my 30’s I would do more things for me. Yes, I did plenty of things for me in my 20’s, but there was so many big ticket bucket list items during that time – college, grad school, marriage, babies – that eventually one must come out of the fog (as exciting as it is) and say, “Ok, and now who am I?” Or, “Who do I want to be?”

There’s many silly things on that 30’s list of things to do to take care of me – like actually trying out a skin care regimen because I’m not getting any younger and my laugh lines are getting more defined. Figuring out exactly who I am, what I’m good at, what I’m placed on this Earth to do is on that list. How much I weigh while discovering all that, is not.

Once upon a time I would have stepped on the scale every day. I know people who have to step on it every day. Think of some of the most incredible people you know. Think of some of the women in your life who have made your life better simply by them being a part of it. Do any of them weigh themselves and grumble about their weight? YES! I know many that do. I know women who are successful in their careers, who take care of their families in the most loving way, and they still include how much they weigh, and the size of their dresses, as a deciding factor of how much they are worth.

As someone who is hopeful that there really is a Heaven, my assumption is God will not ask me to step on the scale prior to entry.

Yes, I am all for being healthy. Yes, I myself would like to lose more weight and become stronger. But I would like to base how I change my mind and body on what I see in the mirror, and whether I need to buy a new wardrobe because my clothes are too tight or too loose, but not base my mental state on an arbitrary number that should come with an asterisk next to it. An asterisk because maybe I weigh X-amount and that sounds high but I have a lot of muscle. Or an asterisk because maybe I don’t weigh that much but I’m short and my frame is small. Or an asterisk because my number is high but I’m tall and I have fitness goals in mind that require I weigh that much. Or an asterisk because Taco Tuesday is amazing and I regret nothing.

So the scale is gone, my friends. And she’s not coming back for awhile, until SHE shows me her worth. Yes the scale is a “She” because she can be a real B-word.